Tracker-board construction for automatic musical instruments.



Patented Dec. l, 19V

3 SHFQTB-SHEBT 1 M. CLARK ION POR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSERUMENTS. OAToNFILED DBC. o. i909. 4

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TRAKER BOARD GNSTRUGT APPL 1,01 1,745.

-r A @riff 3 L M OOOOGOGOGO OOOOOGOOOOOOOOOOOOGGOQ M. CLARK. TRACKERBOARD CONSTRUCTION FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 1909.: l

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

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Wig/726 @L M. 13mm. BOARD CONSTRUCTION FR A HACKER UTOMATIG MUSICALINSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED D.EC. 8, 1909.

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MELVILLE CLARK, F CHICAGO, LLINIS.

TRACKER-BOARD CONSTRUCTION FOR AUTOMATC MUSL'OAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification 0f Letters Patent.

Patented Dec 12, 1911.

Original application filed April. 8, 1909, Serial No= 488,625. Dividedand this application ied December 6,

' 1909. Serial No. 53i,4?6. .i

To allie/rom 'it may. concern:

Be it known that I, MELviLLE CLARK,L

` sets of ducts, and consists in the features of construction shown anddescribed as indicated in the claims.

ln the drawings: Figure l is an inverted pian view of a tracker boardembodying this invention. Figs. 2 and 8 are sections at the lines 2-3 onFig. l, showing the parts adjustedto dittorent positions for utilizingthe tivo sets of ducts respectively. Fig. fl is a detail top plan` viewshowing a portion ot" the tracker board comprising the adjustingldevices. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the tracker device. Fig. 6 is apartly sectional inverted plan view of the tracker with thesliding-valve-bar removed, said tracker being partly broken away andshown in tion at the line G-'fon Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detail front edgeelevation of portion ot the tracker. Fig. 8 is a plan view ot a sliding;valve-bar Which cooperates with the main tracker-board, said viewshowing the sur- 'tace of said valve-bar which faces the maintraclu-ir-board.

The tracker board shown in the drawings, as a whole 'comprises amouthpiece., l, having two rows of duct mouths, the first row, '2,comprising SS aperturesI (l, cut on a wider scale than the other row, 3,which comprises T26 noto. playing' apertures, 7), and an addi tionalaperture, b1 at each end, only one end being shown, for purposeshereinafter vmentioned. The 't28 apertures in roW 3, are

cut on a narrower scale than the 8S apen -tures iu the row 2, so thatthe two rows of land duets, 5, from the mouths or apertures,

l), extend rearward for connection ,by tlexible tubes to the pneumaticactions, Preferably the tracker has two longitudinal ribs, 6, and 7,which contain respectively, the

forward and rear portions oi the ducts,

rows in the customary staggered arrange-k inent ior,obtainingsnitableintervals longitudinally between the apertures of each row. The duets,5, .in the rib, (3, are diverged alternately upward and downward forissue from the rear edge of' said rib in two rows, so that in each rowthey may be spaced ,sutiiciently for the nipple connection ior theflexible tubes, 5t; and a similar double-row arrangement for connectionwith sand flexible tubes is provided at the forward edge l. l of therear rib, 7. 88 ducts, 5, or set 3, be

ing all but 2O at each end of said set opening down through the surfaceof the rear rib, 7, of thc board 9, in two parallel rows of ports b2,"corresponding to and spaced equally with the two rows of ports a2, inthe saine surface of the hoard. But the corresponding* ports of the twosets, (i2, and b2, are staggered oppositoly with respect to the other,that is so that any tivo consecutive ports of one set are in an obliqueline whose inclination is opposite that of the line in which the twocorresponding consecutive ports of the other set stand.

rl`he ditlerence between thelongitudinal spacing of the ports oi theset, b2, and the spacing ot the mouths, of the set, 3, at

the edge of the mouthpiece of the tracker board, is covered by thedivergence or splaying of the li'exible tubes, 5, between the two ribs,G, and 7. The remainder of the ducts, 5, ot the ser', 3, being twenty ateach end of vthe set, open down through the end portions ot the rearrib, 7, which is extended beyond the end ci the .main board, 9, and intothe ports oit said ducts on the lower side of said extended ribs thereare fitted nipples, 5b, 'for connection of 'flexible tubes, l0.

Upon the lower surface of the rib, 7, there is mounted a slide, l2,which isfof the character of a valve-bar having' in the surface facingsaid rib, 7 two sets of ports, 13, and

A 14, each of said sets being comprised in two rows, the spacingvfromeach other of the four rows being the same as that of the four rib, 7;but the corresponding ports of the sets, 13, and 14, of the slidingvalve bar,`12, are not relatively staggered but instead, are directlyopposite to yeach other transversely of the rows. With thisconstruction, it will be seen that the valve bar, 1 2, at one position,1, may have the ports, 13, registering with the ports, a2, ofthe rib,7, and being moved longitudinally half the distance bet-Ween `theconsecutive ports in therows, the ports, 13, willbe carried out ofregistration with the ports, a2, while the port, 14, will be carriedinto registration with the port, b2., thus changing the connection fromthe tracker duct mouths, a, of the set, 2, to the tracker mouths, b, ofthe set, 3, to the extent of the 88'middle notes of the set, 3. i

For shifting the connection as above described, a lever, 15, is providedby the screw, 18 on the tracker board, and connected with asliding-valve-bar, 12, by means of a bracket', 19, secured to the rearedge of said bar andv projecting upward therefrom past the rear edge ofthe tracker-board for engagement in the notch, 15", in the rear end ofsaid lever, as seen in Fig. 4.

The duets from the correspondin 13, and 14, unite within the Valvear,12, and emerge at the opposite surface of the slide in lports which arefitted with and indi'- cated by the nipples, 16, for connection withflexible tubes, 17, leading to the pneu matic action or actions (notshown) to be controlled by said ducts.

1. In an autopneumatic playing mechanism for keyed instruments, atracker board having two sets of ducts opening through two parallel rowsof mouths, one set being at their said mouths spaced on a wider scalethan the' other set, said two sets of ducts opening through the samesurface of the tracker at a. distance from their mouths in ports,

ports spaced on the same scale, each set in al plurality of rows, theports in eachrow of each set at said surface being opposite the in--tervals between consecutive ports of the cor'- responding row of theother set; a valve bar having at one surface duct ports corresponding toan equal number of the said ports of bothsets ot the tracker hoard, andhaving the corresponding ports of the two Sets 0pposite each other andthe duets from suoli corresponding ports uniting in the bar and openingthrough the opposite side thereof in a single set of ports, and meansfor moving the valve-bar longitudinal] of the rows for shifting theregistration o the ports of the valve-bar and of the tracker board fromone set to the other.

2. In an autopneumatic playing mechanism for musical instruments, atracker having two sets of ducts opening for registration With acontroller sheet through arallel rows of mouths, one set being at t eirsaid mouths spaced on a wider scale than the other, said two sets oening through the same surface of the traciier board at a distance fromtheir mouths in ports spaced on the same scale, each setin a lurality ofrows; a valve bar having a'li epluralit of rows of ports vin two setsopening through7 one surface, the spacing from each other of the severalrows comprising said two sets of ports of the bar being the same as thatof the like number of rows of ports of the tracker board, the ports ofone of the sets of the bar beingotfset longitudinally of the rows fromthe position of the corresponding ports of the corresponding set of thetracker vwhen the other sets o'f ports of the tracker and bar areregistered, and means for moving the bar longitudinally of the rows forshifting the registration from one set to the other.

3. In an autopneumatic playing mechanism for musical instruments, atracker having two sets ofducts opening through two parallel rows ofmouths, one set bein at their mouths spacedon a wider scale t an theother, and comprising a lesser number of ducts than the other withinsubstantially the same length of tracker mouth piece, said.'

two -sets opening through the same surface of the tracker at a distancefrom their mouths, a. portion of the more numerous set equal to thetotal number of the other set having their ports at said surface equallyspaced with ports of the other set; a .valve bar mounted against saidsurface Aof the tracker and having at its surface in contact therewithduct ports corresponding to all said last mentioned duct ports of theset comprising the lessernumber, and also duct ports corresponding tosaid equal number of the other set; said valve bar being positioned uponthe tracker for covering all said ductp'orts 'of the lesser set of thevlatterand said equal number of ports'of the other set, and having theducts from the corresponding ports of the two sets uniting in said valvebar and opening through the opposite surface thereof in a single set ofports, the two sets of ports in the first mentioned surface of said barbeing positioned relatively to the corresponding two sets o' ports ofthe tracker for registration of onllsr one of said sets at a time withits corresponding set; means for moving the bar longitudinally forshifting such registremy lmnl, at Chicago, Illinois, 'this 2nd dey tion,and flexible tubes connected respeeof Deeembe1,1909. tvelT with all theduet Jerte n seid o A poste side of the valve bal' and the remaljl-MELVXL'LL CLARK' g, ing duets; of the *rocker of the Set havingWitnesses: the greater number. C. J. CHRISTOFFEL, In' testimony whereof,I have hereunto set M. GERTRUDE ADY.

